1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical pain-relieving devices and methods and, more particularly, to such devices and methods relying upon transcutaneous nerve stimulation.
2. Prior Art
Prior to 1968, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) was considered "pseudoscientific" in medical terms. By 1968 TENS therapy had left the realm of pseudoscientific medicine and entered into the realm of a legitimate medical practice with full approval by orthodox medical practitioners. At that time the waveform used by manufacturers of TENS units comprised faradic (sine wave) pulses or galvanic (variants of square wave) pulses. Thereafter, the use of triangular pulses and spikes began. Spikes could be produced simply by means of RC circuits. Triangular pulses were not so easily achieved and required much more complicated circuits but triangular pulses were of far greater benefit to the patient in relieving pain. Triangular pulses also had much greater sedative effect than any of the more simply produced waveforms. The improvement realized by going from other waveforms to a triangular waveform suggested to these inventors the possibility of further improvement by optimizing the way in which triangular waveforms were constituted.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to overcome the shortcomings of prior TENS devices and methods.
It is a further object of this invention to provide apparatus and a method for producing optimum therapeutic effects from transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.